The Masterpiece
by IlluminatedShadow
Summary: It was an image that would fuel Sai’s favorite fantasy for a long time." SasuNaru, unrequited SaiNaru. Sai-centric.


And I'm back with a new one-shot! Yay! Anyways other updates are coming soon because I'm finally on summer break. But for now, enjoy this one-shot. I did -wink-

Warning: Sai-centric, slash, almost stalker-ish! Sai, language, sexual content, OOC-ness

Parings: SasuNaru, unrequited SaiNaru, KibaHina, hinted ChoujiIno, hinted NejiLee (don't hurt me! -runs away-)

"Speech"

_'Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, it wouldn't be so freaking confusing! -bangs head against desk- It's the biggest mind ever! -walks off swearing loudly-

Enjoy!

* * *

Sai sighed and tapped his pencil impatiently on the desktop in front of him

Sai sighed and tapped his pencil impatiently on the desktop in front of him. He had been staring at the open page of his sketchbook for the last hour. And for the last hour it had been cheerfully mocking him with its blankness.

Artist's block was a bitch.

Realizing inspiration wasn't going to hit him anytime soon, the dark haired boy shrugged and, rather viciously, snapped his wooden pencil in two and dropped the pieces.

"What a waste." He said to himself as he watched the two pencil halves roll of the desk and hit the floor with a nearly inaudible _thump_. "It was a perfectly good pencil." He added as pushed his chair away from the desk and stood up. Rolling his shoulders, Sai began to brainstorm different ways he could use his free time. "I could finish up that essay for Art History…." He thought some more. "Or I could go find Naruto. He's always good for some entertainment." Nodding to himself, the pale man began to head towards the door but as an after thought, he went back and grabbed his sketchbook and a new pencil.

Maybe inspiration would hit him.

--

"That's it! Don't come back unless you have something nice to say about me…and my penis!"

Sai winced slightly as a red-faced Naruto slammed the heavy wooden door in his face. Raising his hand, Sai rapped his knuckles against the door. It opened and Naruto glared out at Sai.

"What is it now?" He asked, gritting his teeth and narrowing stormy blue eyes. Crossing his arms, he then said "Do you have something to say?"

"Just that even though it's tiny it's not that bad." Sai said with a smile.

Naruto's eye twitched and Sai noticed with interest that the blond's whisker-like scars became more pronounced.

"You asshole." Naruto snarled before he launched into another rant about perverted friends who have phallic infatuations and no respect for other's privacy.

Sai hid a smile as he pulled out his sketchbook and began drawing the blond man. Naruto, who was too far into his rant to notice, now started to wave his hands and vent about black-haired idiots who bother their friends because they're jealous about how amazing their friends are and how Sai is a nosy person and how he regrets ever inviting him along to lunch that one day because now he's stuck with him.

And through it all Sai happily sketched the angry man, taking great care to make the picture as realistic as possible. _'I'm glad he invited me to lunch that one day. Really, if I hadn't met Naruto, I would still be the same as before.'_

Without even looking up from his sketchbook, Sai stated, "You know, you're really quite sexy when you're angry."

Naruto, who was clearly thrown off by this comment, began to splutter. "You don't say that kind of this to other guys!"

Sai looked up from his drawing and stilled his hands. "But it's the truth. And remember, you're the one who told me that friends always tell each other the truth. And Sakura told me people like to be complimented. So I really don't understand why you're unhappy."

Naruto spluttered some more as Sai continued. "And if I were you, I'd like it if someone told me I was sexy. Do you think I am?"

Naruto twitched and spluttered some more and then shut the door. Sai blinked at the closed door in front of him and then shrugged. He looked down and began to study his drawing with a critical eye. Deciding that the drawing was excellent, he tucked his sketchbook back under his arm and said, "I believe I correctly captured your beauty."

Sai listened for a reply, but he only got a _thunk_ (that suspiciously sounded like a head hitting a wooden door. Turning around the dark haired boy shrugged. "Anyways, I'll meet you here at around 8-ish so we can go meet up with everyone else at the bar."

Naruto said something which sounded suspiciously like "I refuse to go anywhere with you, you perverted octopus", but Sai was already leaving.

'_Perverted octopus? Me?' _Sai thought offended. _"It was only a compliment."_

--

"Aww, isn't it cute when Naruto tries to act straight?" Ino cooed to Sakura as she slung a slender arm around the pink-haired woman's uncovered shoulders. Both women wore halter tops, Ino purple and Sakura green. And both also wore identical smirks as Naruto finished his latest rant about Sai.

"I am straight!" the blond snapped, waving his arms around to highlight his point. The two women laughed and Naruto crossed his arms and began to sulk. "I swear that guy gets on my last nerve."

"But really, Naruto, it was only a compliment." Hinata offered quietly as her boyfriend Kiba howled with laughter.

"But Hinata! He does it just to get on my nerves!" Naruto whined, throwing a dirty look at Sai who was off getting another round of drinks for the group. "And I swear I might just kill him if he makes another crack about my size."

Kiba opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto cut him off with a vicious glare. "Don't even start, you dog-faced bastard."

The two men began glaring daggers at each other but were interrupted when a smiling Sai returned to the table with a tray of drinks. "I'm back" he announced cheerfully.

Ino cheered as she reached for another drink. "About damn time!"

"I think you've had enough, Ino." A large man sitting across the table cautioned the blonde woman. "Remember last time…" He trailed off with a worried expression.

"Don't worry about me, Chouji my little sweetheart. I know when I've had enough!" Ino said placating as she threw back another shot. "It's Lee who you should watch out for!" She began to giggle madly and Sakura glanced at her with alarm.

"Maybe you've had enough…" Sakura started before Ino suddenly stood up.

"I wanna dance." She announced with a surprising amount of sobriety. But then all pretenses were destroyed as she stumbled towards the dance floor.

"Troublesome wench." A brown-haired man drawled lazily. He sat next to Chouji and was holding his head with one hand and playing with the umbrella in his drink.

"Shikamaru!" Chouji chided. "We promised her dad we'd look after her."

Shikamaru sighed loudly. "It's her life."

Chouji rolled his eyes and stood up to follow the blonde woman, who was now grinding against some random dancing stranger. Noticing this, he began moving faster towards the duo. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and stood up as well, leisurely following his larger friend towards the dance floor.

"We have the strangest friends." Kiba whispered to Hinata who nodded in agreement.

"Don't sit next to me!" Naruto screeched as Sai reclaimed his seat next to the blond.

"But it's the only empty one." He replied calmly. "Don't worry; I don't think I'm attracted to you. I only think you're attractive."

"What?! So I'm not good enough for you now?" Naruto asked angrily.

"I don't understand." Sai said to Sakura. "First I give him a compliment, something you said everyone likes, and he was worried I liked him more than a friend. Now I'm reassuring him that we are only friends and he is upset that I might not see him as more than a friend. The books didn't say anything about this."

Sakura smiled (a little helplessly) at the other boy. Sai had been home schooled up through high school by his older brother. But then his older brother had "disappeared" ("I honestly don't know where he is" Sai had said with a small shrug and smile.) and Sai enrolled in the same university where she and the others attended. Sai, being home schooled his entire life, did not really understand how to act (properly) amongst his peers. But to make up for it he read plenty of books about social manners. However, the books did not prepare him well.

His first meeting with Naruto did not go very well. At all.

But soon the group accepted him and she and Naruto had helped him gain some social smarts.

But he still had more to learn.

'_At least he's trying.'_ Sakura thought positively. Sighing, Sakura began to loudly scold Naruto as Naruto began to loudly argue with her. Looking back at Naruto then to Sakura and then to Naruto again, Sai whipped out his trusty sketch book and a pencil. Soon his pencil began to fly across the page and the argument escalated.

Hinata and Kiba watched on, sweating slightly.

"So…when did Neji and the others say they would arrive?" Kiba asked his girl friend.

With pale lavender eyes still watching the scene, the petite girl answered, "Once TenTen was ready."

"Oh. So…want to go dance until then?"

"Sure."

* * *

"These are really nice Sai. But why are they all of Naruto when he's angry?" Sakura asked as she flipped through Sai's sketchbook.

"Because he's been unusually angry with me lately." Sai said simply as he added more sugar to his tea. The two were waiting for Naruto at a café near their university.

"I don't know why he's been so on edge lately." Sakura said thoughtfully as she closed the book. "These drawings are fantastic. Does Naruto know you're drawing him?"

"No."

Sakura sighed. "You should tell him. People usually like to know if they're the subject of an art piece."

Sai took a sip of tea and regarded the woman seriously. "I don't think he'd react very well."

Sakura nodded and tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear. Green eyes studied the dark haired man seriously. "Are you sure you're not attracted to him at all?"

Sai stared at her and blinked. "I'm sure." _'How would one be sure?'_

She nodded but Sai could tell she didn't believe him. "Sure."

The two were silent for a while before Sakura started a new topic about the upcoming art gallery opening in a month.

"I heard the _Chidor_i will be accepting works from local artists. You should submit something."

Before Sai could reply, Naruto came jogging up to the group. He was pulling along an obsidian eyed man with dark hair pulled back in a spiky style. The man was pale and his lips were pulled into a small smirk.

"Hey guys, guess who's in town?" Naruto announced loudly.

"Sasuke!" Sakura gasped as she stood up and ran towards the dark-haired man. Soon both Sakura and Naruto were chatting away cheerfully with the new comer as Sai watched on. Turning his attention to the other dark-haired man, Sai noticed with distaste that they resembled each other. As he continued to study the man ("Sasuke" his mind supplied), Sasuke glanced at him slightly and when their eyes met, Sai decided that he wouldn't like this guy at all.

'_Not at all'_ Sai thought as he inwardly scowled. While keeping an expression of cool indifference, he pulled out his sketch book and began to sketch his favorite subject.

Said subject's eyes were now shining bright blue with happiness as he excitedly chattered about something or another to Sasuke.

Sai's jaw tightened slightly as he lightly sketched the contours of Naruto's face.

Naruto looked so vibrant and alive and glowing and shining that Sai wondered if he could truly capture the sight before him.

'_Maybe that's the reason no artist can capture a truly perfect sun.'_ He mused, with some bitterness. _'And, I think I'm sure now.'_

* * *

"I don't think that was an unreasonable question." Sai said confusedly as he watched Lee drop his cup and began to choke on his tea.

"You just caught him off guard." Neji said indifferently as he pounded Lee on the back with his fist. "Breathe, moron, breathe."

The man gasped for breath and slowly regained a normal breathing pattern. "Thank you dear friend." He said to Neji before calmly turning back to Sai, who was sitting patiently on the sofa across from him.

"I am honored that you have come to me with your questions, my dear friend. But I must ask," Here the spandex-clad man paused, "why have you come to me? And why did you not go to my lovely cherry blossom?"

"She's with Naruto and Sasuke." Sai said with a hint of disgust. "And, anyways, I thought you would know what its like."

"What what's like?"

"What's its like to be more than a friend to a guy?"

Lee blinked once, and then again. The bushy eyed man then said slowly, "I don't think I understand."

Sai motioned for him to wait as he pulled out a small yet thick book with a green cover. Flipping it open to a page, he began to read, "Sometimes one discovers that one is attracted to a close friend and desires something more than the platonic relationship they share." Shutting the book Sai looked at Lee. "But it doesn't say what to do if both people are males."

Lee sighed and cradled his head in his hands. "Why does everyone assume I'm gay?"

If Lee had looked up, he (like Sai) would have seen Neji's white eyes glance quickly at the spandex-clad man as his shoulders stiffened. Then he would have seen Neji take a quick sip of tea before slipping out of the room.

Sai blinked before turning his attention back to Lee, who had perked up and was almost vibrating with excitement.

"Nevertheless I will do my best to aid you! And if I cannot, then I shall do 5000 chin-ups before running 300 extra laps tomorrow!"

"Er…that's not really necessary…" Sai started but was cut off as Lee's round eyes began to gleam and he pumped one fist up in the air.

Sai's eyes widened slightly as Lee quickly got into his "good-guy pose". As Lee launched into a speech about something youth related about love, Sai pulled out his sketchbook and began drawing as Neji entered the room.

"Don't forget to capture the sunset." Neji motioned towards the sunset that had magically appeared behind the man.

"Does he always wear green or can I take some artistic liberty with his colors?"

"He always wears green." Neji paused and opened his mouth to ask "Could I--?"

"Once I'm done, yes."

"It's always wonderful when friendship evolves to the next level! Now tell me, when did you first realize your love for our mutual friend Naruto?" Lee asked, finally sitting down.

"Well…I'm not really sure if I do like him more or not."

Lee nodded seriously. "Describe how you felt when you suspected that you might."

"When that Sasuke guy showed up. There was this weird feeling in my stomach when I saw Naruto holding his hand."

"Did you wish it were you?"

Sai nodded and Lee then said, "That was jealousy. What else?"

"That's about it. The book said jealousy was a sign that you definitely like someone. Or are a possessive psycho. But I think the former applies."

Both Neji and Lee sweat-dropped. 'Hopefully'

"And I like drawing him." Sai shrugged and handed over his sketchbook. Both men looked through it.

"Well…"

"I think…"

"You like him." Both men said simultaneously.

"So now I should tell him. Because 'if you like someone, the best way to go about starting a relationship is to tell them of your feelings'." Sai said, rattling off something he read.

"Well…" Lee said uncomfortably. "The thing is…he and Sasuke…"

"Are dating." Neji finished he said coldly, but with some pity in his white eyes. Lee nodded sadly as well.

"Oh." Was all Sai could say.

--

Sai slowly trudged home from Lee and Neji's shared apartment. His thoughts were…well, if one could see Sai's thoughts, all one would see would be swirls of dark colors, whirling together in a chaotic, confusing dance.

The dark-haired man was at a loss. Either he could not tell Naruto and nothing would change and Naruto would still be with Sasuke or he could tell Naruto and nothing would change and Naruto would still be with Sasuke.

Both option had the same outcome. Of course, there were other options. He could force himself on Naruto (and risk the anger of many, many people and the Law) or he could try to break up Naruto and Sasuke (and upset more people) or threaten to kill himself if Naruto didn't return his feelings (and force Naruto to do something he wouldn't want).

So, really, the first two were the best options.

'_And maybe I shouldn't say anything. After all, what would Naruto want with me?' _Sai thought. He was well aware of his flaws, shortcomings.

Finally Sai reached his apartment building and entered the elevator to reach the floor he (and Naruto) lived on. As he stepped off the elevator, Sai's eyes widened.

Naruto and Sasuke. Together. Kissing.

Indeed, the two men were tangled together against Naruto's door. Sasuke had Naruto pinned against the door with the blond's legs wrapped around his narrow waist. The pale man was nipping and kissing the spiky-haired man's tan neck as Naruto arched up in pleasure to reveal more of the slender column to his partner. Naruto's golden spikes were shining in the dim light of the hallway and his head was thrown back against the door and his mouth open as he moaned loudly.

Sai continued to watch as Sasuke grinded his hips against Naruto's and as Naruto mewled in pleasure. Naruto gasped as he tangled his fingers in dark hair and he whispered "Sasuke" with so much passion and love that it almost hurt Sai to listen.

Sai almost stepped forward when Sasuke tilted his head up and kissed Naruto on the jaw before whispering something to the other man. With one hand, Sasuke quickly unlocked and opened the door. Then the two men quickly stumbled through the opening and the door slammed loudly in the now quiet hallway.

Sai felt the echo of the slam in his heart and felt someone had shut a door in his life as well. Continuing down the hallway to his own apartment, the erotic scene he had witnessed continued to play out in his mind. It seemed that the image of Naruto throwing his head back in ecstasy would forever be burned into his memory.

And, as Sai realized as he opened the door to his apartment, he didn't really mind. Without even kicking off his shoes, Sai pushed off the clutter on his dining table and sat down as he opened his sketchbook and began to recreate the image from his mind. His pencil retraced Naruto's spiky hair and the scars on his cheeks. It danced across the page as he carefully detailed Naruto's expression of pleasure. He made sure every detail was perfect, down to the way Naruto's legs clenched around Sasuke and the way his fingers gripped the other man's stupid hairstyle.

Satisfied with his art ("My masterpiece" he murmured), Sai disappeared to his bathroom where he started the water for his shower. Humming softly, Sai slowly removed his clothes and then froze. Quickly, he left the room and returned to his drawing. Glancing down at his work, he scowled and slowly and carefully began to erase a small portion of the picture. Finally satisfied, Sai went back to his shower. Sighing as the warm water hit his bare skin, Sai dunked his head under the spray. Then with one hand, he pushed back his wet hair and then he slowly brought his other hand lower and lower…

And back on his table, his "masterpiece" quietly sat for anyone to view. If anyone saw it, he or she would see an image that seemed to be a freeze frame of a specific moment in time.

It was an image that would fuel Sai's favorite fantasy for a long time.

* * *

For anyone who didn't understand the ending, Sai erased Sasuke's signitature hairstyle and made Sasuke look more like Sai so it looked like it was Sai and Naruto doing some hanky-panky.

Anyways, yes it was OOC. It was my first time writing a Sai-centric piece. I'm not sure if I did well, but I'm sure someone will let me know...-puppy dog eyes-

So I hoped you guys liked this, drop a review because I do care about what you guys think. I write for myself (that explains the lateness and blatant disregard for deadlines) but I do like critiques.

Oh, and flames will be used to burn my science notes.

Later dearies!

PS: Don't worry, HHNFL2LS will be updated in the following days!


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